Department for Transport

Garden Bridge

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in respect of the proposed Garden Bridge, whether the Department for Transport met each of the criteria set by the Treasury before funding was committed; if not, what action was taken to override the Treasury criteria; and what changes to procedures are in place to avoid any non-compliance with Treasury criteria.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Government funding for the Garden Bridge project was initially announced by the former Chancellor of the Exchequer in his 2013 Autumn Statement. In a subsequent letter to the then Secretary of State for Transport, the Chancellor said that this funding had been committed on the basis that: the Mayor of London would match it from Transport for London’s resources;a satisfactory business case would be produced, demonstrating that the project provided value for money;Transport for London would fund the Bridge’s ongoing maintenance; andthe Mayor would cover cost overruns or shortfalls in funding. The first criterion was met in full in advance of funding being transferred to Transport for London. In respect of the second criterion, a business case for the project was produced by Transport for London and assessed by the Department before any funding was transferred. The Department’s analysis suggested that the project had a wide range of possible benefit to cost ratios, and that whilst there were risk factors associated with such a unique project, it had a reasonable chance of delivering value for money. The funding was therefore made available with a number of conditions attached to it, including a cap of £8.25 million on the amount that could be spent before the start of construction. That particular condition was revised, with part of the funding now able to be used to underwrite the cancellation costs that would arise were the project to be cancelled. This followed a Ministerial direction by the previous Secretary of State for Transport in May 2016. In respect of the third criterion, funding of the ongoing maintenance costs will be a matter for the Garden Bridge Trust, but should the Trust be unable to cover these costs, the previous Mayor issued a Mayoral direction in June 2015 which approved the provision of guarantees by the Greater London Authority in relation to the Garden Bridge, subject to suitable terms and arrangements being agreed.  In terms of the fourth criterion, the Government has made clear that there will be no more public funding for the project beyond what has already been committed. I receive regular progress reports from the chairman of the Garden Bridge Trust, and Department for Transport officials are in regular contact with their opposite numbers in Transport for London and the Garden Bridge Trust to discuss these and other matters. I do not consider any changes are necessary to these procedures.

Ministry of Defence

RFA Diligence

Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the sale of RFA Diligence will amount to, or exceed, the amount of taxpayer-funded expenditure of £16 million that was spent on refitting the vessel to extend its life to 2020.

Earl Howe: We do not yet know the sale price of RFA Diligence. In August 2016 the Disposal Services Authority advertised a competition for the sale of the former RFA Diligence for future use. This competition has not reached the stage where formal commercial bids have been received.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Motor Vehicles: UK Trade with EU

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will disclose the proposals made by the Prime Minister to Renault Nissan concerning protecting new investment in Sunderland from the impact of potential EU tariffs; and whether similar protection will be offered to other motor vehicle manufacturers, component suppliers and firms that compete with Renault Nissan for capital, labour and land.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government is in close contact with Nissan, as it is with the sector more broadly. It will be a priority of Government negotiations to support all UK based car manufacturers and ensure that their ability to export to and from the EU is not adversely affected by the UK's future relationship with the EU. However, we do not provide a running commentary on our discussions with individual companies.

Energy: Conservation

Lord Teverson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps the Environment Agency is taking to ensure that decisions relating to the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme receive director-level attention and remain adequately staffed.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Implementation of the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme remains an Environment Agency priority and there has been no change to the amount of resource assigned to this or to the level of oversight within the Agency.

Nuclear Reactors

Lord Wigley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to publish a route map for the development of small modular nuclear reactors in the UK.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Policy development for small modular reactors, including plans in respect of publishing a Roadmap, remains on-going. We are drawing on the findings of the independent Techno-Economic Assessment, the Phase One expressions of interest documents, the meetings held by officials over the summer with 32 technology vendors, service providers and potential investors, and our continuing discussions with regulators.

Timber

Baroness Parminter: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what figure should be included for carbon dioxide emissions from wood, per unit of fuel, in the background data for fuel consumption used for the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990–2014, given that there is no figure for wood included in the table on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs website.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Emissions of carbon dioxide from using biomass, including wood, in the energy sector are not reported within the national totals in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory because they are offset by the carbon dioxide absorbed by fast-growing bio-energy sources. The carbon stock they represent is reported in the land use change and forestry sector, in line with international guidelines set out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Bahrain: Administration of Justice

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure fair trials in Bahrain for Mr Ali Isa Al-Tajer and others accused of similar offences.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We continue to monitor Ali Isa Al Tajer's case closely and encourage the Bahraini authorities to ensure due process is followed and international standards of justice are upheld. British Embassy officials regularly attend hearings of high profile cases and will continue to do so. As part of our programme of work, the Government continues to provide assistance to the Ombudsman and the Special Investigation Unit and encourage them to deal with any complaints seriously and in a professional and independent manner conforming to international standards.

West Bank: Israel

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding harassment and violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank towards Palestinians living there; and whether they intend to put pressure on the government of Israel to take responsibility for the settlers’ actions.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Government condemns all acts of violence by extremist settlers. Settler violence is an abhorrent phenomenon which must be tackled firmly. We condemn such acts and urge the Israeli authorities to investigate thoroughly every instance of violence by settlers and to bring those responsible to justice. We have most recently raised our concerns over this issue on 10 October and stressed the importance of Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Gaza: Israel

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they intend to take following the interception of the Zaytouna-Oliva in international waters by Israel and its rerouting to the port of Ashdod.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We have no plans to take any action over this issue. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against all travel to Gaza including the waters off Gaza. We also advise British Nationals against participating in flotillas or overland convoys to Gaza because of the risks involved.

Palestinians: Economic Situation

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Palestine’s economic prospects over the next five years.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: ​The Palestinian economy continues to face a number of challenges, including the restrictions imposed by the occupation. The International Money Fund estimates that in the medium term growth is likely to be in the region of 2-3 per cent. If restrictions of the occupation were lifted, it is estimated that growth could be in the region of 7-9 per cent. We continue to support economic growth in the Occupied Palestinian Territories through the Palestinian Market Development Programme which assists companies to develop new products and enter new markets.

West Bank: Israel

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they intend to take in response to plans by the government of Israel to establish a new settlement deep in the West Bank.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We have raised our concerns over this issue with the Israeli authorities. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), issued a statement on 5 October condemning the announcement by Israel of plans to construct a new settlement near Shilo. The increased pace of settlement advancement, including moves to approve retroactively unauthorised settlement units and outposts, fundamentally calls into question Israel's commitment to the two state solution.

Cabinet Office

Parliamentary Questions

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask the Leader of the House what procedural advice or guidance is given to government departments when answering Parliamentary questions.

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the difference between their approach to answering Parliamentary Questions and freedom of information requests.

Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen: The Government's guidance on answering Parliamentary Questions, for both the House of Lords and the House of Commons is set out in the attached Cabinet Office guidance. Freedom of information requests are answered in line with the requirements set out in the Freedom of Information Act 2000



Attachment for PEER - FOI and PQs
(PDF Document, 112.39 KB)

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Digital Broadcasting: Radio

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what regulatory requirements are currently applicable to digital radio stations.

Lord Ashton of Hyde: There are extensive regulatory requirements covering digital radio.

Royal Parks: Cycleways

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Royal Parks have not yet completed the construction of the sections of the East-West London Super Cycle highway which are planned to pass through Hyde Park and St James Park; and when it is expected that the work will be complete and open to cyclists.

Lord Ashton of Hyde: The East West Cycle Superhighway is a Transport for London (TfL) project carried out by their contractors. The Royal Parks has issued licenses to TfL to permit the work to take place within the parks. Part of the cycle route in Hyde Park is already open. TfL estimates that the remainder of the Hyde Park route will be open in the New Year. The work in St James’s and Green Parks is being planned in stages and the complete route should be finished by next summer although parts may be open sooner.

Chess: Iran

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the World Chess Federation's decision to enforce a requirement on all competitors in the Women's World Chess Championship 2017 in Iran to wear the hijab, and what discussions they have had with, and what advice they have given to, UK Chess Associations about the safety of UK citizens competing in the event.

Lord Ashton of Hyde: We have had no discussions with the World Chess Federation on this matter. Visitors to any country should refer to FCO advice when travelling abroad, including abiding by local laws and customs.

Charities: Pay

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the current levels of, and recent increases in, the total remuneration paid to the executive heads of the major charities in England and Wales.

Lord Ashton of Hyde: Charity trustees, almost all of whom are unpaid, set levels of executive remuneration and must do so acting in the best interests of the charity. A 2014 study by The National Council for Voluntary Organisations found that senior executives in charities were generally paid substantially less than for similar roles in the public or private sectors. Charities are legally required to provide details of the number of staff in pay bands over £60,000 in their publicly available annual reports, and many charities go further in their accountability and publish full details as a matter of good practice.

Department for Work and Pensions

Occupational Pensions

Baroness Altmann: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to offer relief to unincorporated employers who are at risk of personal bankruptcy as a result of significant increases in defined benefit pension deficits in Non-Associated Multi-Employer Schemes following the rise in annuity costs associated with the falls in long-term interest rates in recent years; and if so, what relief will be made available.

Lord Freud: We have recently consulted on problems faced by non-associated multi-employer schemes (NAMES) and had representations from various interested parties. We will be responding in due course.

State Retirement Pensions

Baroness Altmann: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what surveys or analysis they have conducted to assess the number of people reaching 65 years of age between 2018 and 2020 who are unaware that they will not be eligible for their state pension as soon as they reach 65.

Baroness Altmann: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what surveys or analysis they have conducted since 2012 to assess the public’s knowledge or understanding of the state pension age, particularly among people over the age of 50.

Lord Freud: The Government has provided information in order for all individuals to be able to find out their State Pension age and conditions of their benefits.Following the 2011 changes, which brought about faster equalisation of men’s and women’s State Pension ages and accelerated the timetable for the rise to 66, DWP wrote to all individuals directly affected to inform them of the change to their State Pension age, using the address details recorded by HMRC at the time. The 2012 Attitudes to Pensions survey included questions on awareness of State Pension age.Information on State Pension age changes and who they affect is also available on GOV.UK, and the online State Pension age calculator gives individuals a quick and simple way to check when they will reach State Pension age. Between February 2016 and April 2016 the State Pension age calculator was used 2.3 million times.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Dairy Farming

Lord Hay of Ballyore: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made working with retailers, supermarkets and farmers to ensure the future of the dairy industry in the UK.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Government has continued to work closely with farmers, retailers and manufacturers to help with the prolonged period of low prices experienced by the dairy industry in the last 2 years. Wholesale prices have started to improve sharply and we have also seen some improvements in the UK farmgate milk price, albeit from a very low level. The long-term outlook for our dairy industry remains positive with strong growth in global milk demand forecast to continue until 2025. The Government cannot dictate prices but has sought to help dairy farmers manage risk. We have introduced a new system of extended tax averaging, allowing farmers to choose whether to spread their tax over a two or five-year period. We are exploring opportunities for a dairy futures market and better branding and labelling in supermarkets.The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) appointed in 2013 oversees relationships between supermarkets and their suppliers to ensure large supermarkets treat their suppliers lawfully and fairly. We have invited evidence on the case for extending the remit of the GCA to provide more support for farmers and will consider any representation we receive. The dairy industry’s Voluntary Code of Practice has also made a positive contribution in developing a fair and balanced dairy supply chain, helping farmers to secure fairer contracts with their milk buyers. The Government is committed to working with industry to develop new market opportunities. Government itself is now buying more British food as a result of our reforms – more than 90% of the butter and cheese bought is made from British milk generating £11m of business for our dairy industry. Further afield, we have been opening new export markets where we know there is a huge demand for quality British dairy products, and we are working to maximise this opportunity by pushing the British dairy brand with the launch of the Great British Food Campaign, and designating 2016 “The Year of Great British Food”.

Home Office

Visas

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 26 September (HL1844), how many Restricted Certificates of Sponsorship were available in each month from April 2011 to November 2014.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The data requested is routinely published on the Gov.uk website and can be found at the following address https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employer-sponsorship-restricted-certificate-allocations/allocations-of-restricted-certificates-of-sponsorship Please also find the information included in the link set out in the table below Allocation MonthRestricted Certificate of Sponsorship AvailableRestricted Certificate of Sponsorship GrantedApr-1142001019May-114666781Jun-115397845Jul-116064859Aug-116760819Sep-117719673Oct-118536818Nov-119559766Dec-1110269729Jan-1211023706Feb-1211773832Mar-12124291040Apr-1217251037May-122415913Jun-123188924Jul-1239501007Aug-124648776Sep-125486785Oct-126418715Nov-127418717Dec-128408753Jan-139355780Feb-1310269955Mar-13110311044Apr-1317101247May-132172772Jun-1331201373Jul-1334161417Aug-1336801110Sep-1341891044Oct-134863973Nov-1355951024Dec-1362831275Jan-146714926Feb-1474271289Mar-1478251033Apr-1417241699May-1417281083Jun-1423501738Jul-1423081749Aug-1422131763Sep-1420501442Oct-1422771473Nov-1425111723Dec-1424811819Jan-1524161670Feb-1523922409Mar-1516901519Apr-1525281888May-1522852277Jun-1516091215Jul-1520401943Aug-1523472418Sep-1515441520Oct-1521111953Nov-1520112100Dec-1518981774Jan-1619261441Feb-1624391760Mar-1626611748Apr-1621751692May-1624641849Jun-1625751853Jul-1627012238Aug-1626951952Sep-1628791509  



Table HL2106 
(Word Document, 75.5 KB)

Visas

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Restricted Certificates of Sponsorship were (1) issued, and (2) subsequently taken up, by employers in each month since the permanent cap was introduced in April 2011.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The data requested is routinely published on the Gov.uk website and can be found at the following address https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employer-sponsorship-restricted-certificate-allocations/allocations-of-restricted-certificates-of-sponsorship Please also find the information included in the link set out in the table belowAllocation MonthRestricted Certificate of Sponsorship AvailableRestricted Certificate of Sponsorship GrantedApr-1142001019May-114666781Jun-115397845Jul-116064859Aug-116760819Sep-117719673Oct-118536818Nov-119559766Dec-1110269729Jan-1211023706Feb-1211773832Mar-12124291040Apr-1217251037May-122415913Jun-123188924Jul-1239501007Aug-124648776Sep-125486785Oct-126418715Nov-127418717Dec-128408753Jan-139355780Feb-1310269955Mar-13110311044Apr-1317101247May-132172772Jun-1331201373Jul-1334161417Aug-1336801110Sep-1341891044Oct-134863973Nov-1355951024Dec-1362831275Jan-146714926Feb-1474271289Mar-1478251033Apr-1417241699May-1417281083Jun-1423501738Jul-1423081749Aug-1422131763Sep-1420501442Oct-1422771473Nov-1425111723Dec-1424811819Jan-1524161670Feb-1523922409Mar-1516901519Apr-1525281888May-1522852277Jun-1516091215Jul-1520401943Aug-1523472418Sep-1515441520Oct-1521111953Nov-1520112100Dec-1518981774Jan-1619261441Feb-1624391760Mar-1626611748Apr-1621751692May-1624641849Jun-1625751853Jul-1627012238Aug-1626951952Sep-1628791509  



Table - HL2107
(Word Document, 75.5 KB)

Palestinians: Visas

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to carry out a review of the system of granting visas to Palestinians coming to the UK on exchange schemes; and if so, when.

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to revise the visa system for Palestinians living in East Jerusalem and Ramallah which prevents them from applying for a visa at a Visa Application Centre other than the one closest to where they live.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: There are no plans to change the visa system for Palestinians living in East Jerusalem or Ramallah.As set out in the Immigration Rules, applications for a visit visa or EEA family permit can be made in any visa application centre, British diplomatic mission or consular post overseas where entry clearance applications are accepted. Applications for other types of entry clearance should be made in the applicant’s country of residence. Where there is no post in the country of residence, applications should be made to the designated application post.There are three Visa Application Centres in the Occupied Palestinian Territories designated by the Secretary of State to accept visas applications. These are the Visa Application Centre at the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem, the British Information and Services Office in Gaza City, and the British Council office in Ramallah. Applicants choose the location for their appointment to submit their application at the end of the online application process.

Asia Bibi

Baroness Berridge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential need for Mrs Asia Bibi and her family to apply for asylum should she be released from detention in Pakistan.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We remain concerned about the situation of all religious minorities in Pakistan. We urge Pakistan to uphold the rule of law and ensure the rights of all citizens are respected regardless of gender, ethnicity or religious belief.Our obligations under the Refugee Convention do not extend to considering claims from people overseas who may want to seek asylum here. There is no provision in the Immigration Rules for someone to be given permission to travel to the UK to seek asylum.The UK and European Union approach is that an individual should apply for protection from the authorities in the first available safe country or through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

HM Treasury

Occupational Pensions: Tax Allowances

Baroness Altmann: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken to ensure that (1) employers, and (2) employees earning under £11,000 a year, understand the consequences of using a net pay arrangement on entitlement to tax relief.

Baroness Altmann: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that workers who are contributing to a workplace pension, and who earn less than £11,000 a year, are able to receive the government contribution to their pension for which they are eligible; and what action they are taking to ensure that such earners are not disadvantaged by losing out on the 25 per cent top-up to which they are entitled.

Baroness Altmann: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to assess the number of people earning less than £11,000 a year who are auto-enrolled or paying into net pay arrangement workplace pension schemes.

Lord Young of Cookham: The Pensions Regulator provides guidance to employers on choosing a pension scheme for their staff in order to discharge their statutory obligations under automatic enrolment. This guidance covers the choice between net pay and relief at source schemes, and the implications of net pay schemes for employees who do not pay tax. The Government’s latest analysis of the eligibility of workers for automatic enrolment was published on 13 October 2016 in ‘Workplace Pensions: Update of analysis on Automatic Enrolment’. Information on age and earnings breakdowns for all workers can be found in table 3a on page 6, and is available in the report titled: Workplace pensions: Update of Analysis on Automatic Enrolment 2016, which is available on the gov.uk website. The Government does not collect data on the number of workers earning less than the personal allowance who are also members of pension schemes that operate a net pay system. The Government does not hold employee level data on employees enrolled in net pay pension schemes, as such schemes are not obliged to report pension contributions to HM Revenue and Customs. The Government does not therefore hold information on the value of tax reliefs paid out to employees in net pay schemes.

Taxation

Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of Brexit, they are considering using a more flexible and variable approach to setting VAT and Excise duties for different goods and services to improve the nation's health and wellbeing.

Lord Young of Cookham: Until the UK has left the EU, we will remain a member of the EU with all the rights and obligations that membership entails. The Government will work hard to get the best deal for Britain, including for VAT and excise, and is determined to make the most of the opportunities that are presented.

Sixth Form Colleges: VAT

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to change the rules on VAT applicable to sixth form colleges.

Lord Young of Cookham: The Government has no plans to change the rules on VAT applicable to sixth form colleges.

Consumer Goods: Imports

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what impact they expect the recent fall in the value of sterling to have on imported consumer goods.

Lord Young of Cookham: Before the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU, the UK government published short-term and long-term assessments of the likely impact on the UK economy from leaving the EU, including the effects of sterling revaluation. HM Government is monitoring economic developments closely and the independent Office for Budget Responsibility will produce an updated economic forecast alongside Autumn Statement 2016.

World War I: Debts

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in October 2014 that they were planning to pay off some debts from World War One, how much has been paid off to date, and how much is still outstanding.

Lord Young of Cookham: The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 3 December 2014 that the government would adopt a strategy to remove the remaining undated gilts in the government’s debt portfolio, thus repaying all the nation’s First World War debt. Three of the eight undated gilts that remained in the government’s portfolio in 2014 were issued to fund the First World War: the 4% Consolidated Loan, 3½% War Loan and 3½% Conversion Loan. These were redeemed in 2015, on 1 February, 9 March and 1 April respectively. Almost 99% of the amount due has been repaid to date. Due to the age of the records relating to undated gilts, the registrar has not been able to contact all holders. However, the government has thus repaid the vast majority of the nation’s First World War debt.

Economic Situation: Forecasts

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they (1) have confidence in the economic forecasting capability of HM Treasury, (2) have evaluated the performance of HM Treasury forecasters, and (3) have considered the case for outsourcing some or all of HM Treasury's forecasting functions to another organisation.

Lord Young of Cookham: The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is responsible for producing forecasts for the UK economy and public finances. It publishes regular Forecast Evaluation Reports (FERs) in which it compares its forecasts to subsequent outturns and explains any forecast errors.

Department for Exiting the European Union

UK Withdrawal from EU

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to publish a consultation paper setting out and assessing the different routes to Brexit.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The Government is consulting widely through meetings all over the country with academics, think tanks, businesses, charities, universities and more to ensure that all views can be reflected in our analysis of the options for the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.

British Nationals Abroad: EU Countries

Lord Inglewood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to preserve UK citizens' legal right to live in and travel freely across Europe following Brexit.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The Prime Minister has been clear that she wants to protect the status of UK nationals already living in mainland Europe, and that of EU nationals already living here. The only circumstances in which that would not be possible is if British citizens’ rights in other EU member states were not protected in return. UK nationals that have lived lawfully and continuously for a period of 5 years in a given EU Member State will automatically have a permanent right to reside there.The reciprocal rights and entitlements that will apply following the UK’s exit are subject to the wider negotiation on our future relationship with the EU. We have not yet begun these negotiations, so it is not possible to set out any positions in advance. However, at every step of this negotiation we will seek to ensure the best possible outcome for the British people, at home and overseas.

Agriculture

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their forecast timetable for negotiations on the UK’s future relationship with the EU as regards food and farming.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The Prime Minister has made clear we will trigger Article 50 by the end of March 2017. It is in everyone's interests that we take time to establish a UK approach and clear objectives for negotiations. We have been clear that we will not provide a running commentary that might undermine our negotiating position.We continue to receive views across the range of the Department’s responsibilities following the outcome of the EU Referendum. Defra will be working on our future policies in this area, liaising closely with other key departments on future support for agriculture, animal welfare, and the food and drink industry. The Government will work with industry and the public to develop these new arrangements.

European Court of Justice

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what will be the status in the UK of European Court of Justice case law on EU legal instruments which remain in force in the UK after it leaves the EU.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The Government will bring forward legislation in the next session that, when enacted, will repeal the European Communities Act 1972 on the day we leave the EU. This ‘Great Repeal Bill’ will end the authority of EU law and return power to the UK.The Government will set out the content of the Bill and its implications in due course.

EU Law

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what will be the status in the UK of EU legal instruments to which the UK agrees between the bill to repeal the European Communities Act 1972 receiving royal assent and the UK leaving the EU.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The Government will bring forward legislation in the next session that, when enacted, will repeal the European Communities Act 1972 on the day we leave the EU. This ‘Great Repeal Bill’ will end the authority of EU law and return power to the UK.The Government will set out the content of the Bill and its implications in due course.

UK Withdrawal from EU

Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to circulate information to householders about the steps taken in the negotiation of the UK's exit from the EU, and the likely final arrangements for British and non-British people and organisations, in order that people can make plans for their future; and if so, when.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The Government will ensure that the appropriate information is communicated to Parliament and the public throughout the process of exit.

UK Membership of EU

Lord Watson of Richmond: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they will ensure that the views of those who voted for Remain in the EU Referendum are respected and taken fully into account.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The Government is committed to ensuring that the negotiations result in a deal that works for Britain and is in the interests of everyone in the UK.We have taken the conscious decision to build a national consensus to our approach to the negotiations. We are consulting a wide range of stakeholders in order to create a national picture of what people want from a deal on exiting the EU. This will allow us to deliver on what the country asked us to do through the referendum, by identifying the opportunities as well as the challenges.We have already said that we will consult and work with the devolved administrations for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, because we want Brexit to work in the interests of the whole country.Our guiding approach is to implement the mandate that the people have given us to deliver the UK’s exit from the EU, and to do so in a smooth way, which delivers the best deal for the British people and sees us working constructively with our EU partners going forward.

EU Law

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the implications for UK case law (1) during the period following the repeal of the European Communities Act 1972, and (2) between the repeal of the Act and the date of the UK leaving the EU.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The Government will bring forward legislation in the next session that, when enacted, will repeal the European Communities Act 1972 on the day we leave the EU. This ‘Great Repeal Bill’ will end the authority of EU law and return power to the UK.The Government will set out the content of the Bill and its implications in due course.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Families: Disadvantaged

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the conclusion by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) that there was no consistent evidence that the Troubled Families Programme had any significant or systematic impact on those families which took part in the programme, what evidence they have for the statement by the Communities Minister, Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth, on 17 October that "this programme has transformed the lives of thousands of families"; and what is their response to the NIESR report National Evaluation of the Troubled Families Programme.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The NIESR Impact Study was just one of 6 reports comprising the independent evaluation of the first Troubled Families Programme. The evaluation found that the programme had many positive achievements. These include:Families feeling more confident and optimistic about being able to cope in the futureJoining up local services for families by encouraging a single keyworker approach to work with the whole family on all of its problemsRaising the quality and capacity of local data systemsBetter joint working with partners such as Jobcentre PlusThe data shows that nearly 120,000 of the families on this programme saw their lives improve – more children attending school, youth crime and anti-social behaviour significantly cut and, in more than 18,000 families, an adult holding down a job. The evaluation does not dispute this fact.Unsurprisingly, the ambitious and innovative impact study which used national administrative datasets to track changes in families circumstances over comparatively short time periods, was unable to specifically attribute positive outcomes achieved in employment, youth crime or school attendance to the Troubled Families Programme.This was because at that time the level of change achieved was not significantly different from that seen in a group of families not on the programme with whom comparisons were made. This is not the same, however, as saying that the evaluation shows family outcomes did not improve, as some have wrongly inferred.Of course, we will continue to review all evidence of how the programme is working, to learn from it and see if there's more we can do to help families facing such multiple problems. In fact, we have already adapted the new programme in a number of ways, including extending the length of time over which family outcomes will be tracked – from 12 months to 5 years.

Disadvantaged: Children and Young People

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will examine the results of the former Educational Priority Areas to explore whether similar measures could be combined with the continuing Troubled Families Programme, to improve results for disadvantaged children and young people.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: We want the UK to be a country that works for everyone – and that includes those we intend to keep on helping through this programme. We are looking widely at all the evidence available to see how things could be done differently, to learn from it and see if there is even more we can do to improve the lives of troubled families. We will first consider the evidence of the first programme’s independent evaluation, but we are always open to learning from other programmes and reports.

Families: Disadvantaged

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to continue with the Troubled Families Programme in the light of the National Institute of Economics and Social Research's recent analysis.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: At the Spending Review 2015, £720 million was allocated to fund the remaining four years of the new Troubled Families Programme (2015 – 2020). We are absolutely committed to continuing to help this group of people, to help these vulnerable families that have some of the most complex needs of people in the country. We are looking at the evidence from the evaluation of the first Troubled Families Programme (2012-2015) to see how things could be done differently, to learn from it and see if there is even more we can do to improve the lives of troubled families.We have already learnt lessons from the first Troubled Families Programme and reflected them in the design of the new programme. We have published an overview of the first programme (attached) which highlights the improvements that have been made: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-first-troubled-families-programme-2012-to-2015-an-overview  



Troubled families programme - HL2455
(PDF Document, 458.16 KB)

Department of Health

In Vitro Fertilisation

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, and to what extent, the expert panel convened by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has concluded that a potentially viable pregnancy with normal karyotype can be achieved through pronuclear transfer based on the accompanying images of the relevant karyotypes in figures or other supporting data presented in Reproductive BioMedicine Online published in October.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has advised that the independent expert panel are currently reviewing the latest evidence of safety and efficacy for pro-nuclear transfer and maternal spindle transfer. The panel has not yet reached its conclusions. It is anticipated that the panel’s report will be published by the end of the year.

Association of Port Health Authorities

Baroness Blood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the most recent meetings they have had with the Association of Port Health Authorities.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) can confirm since June 2016, FSA officials have met for discussions with Port Health Authority officials from the following ports: - Belfast- Felixstowe- Southampton- Gatwick- Doncaster- Heathrow An official from the FSA will provide a presentation on imports and exports policy at the Association of Port Health Authorities (APHA) annual general meeting on Wednesday 30th November 2016. At the meeting, APHA members will be encouraged to provide their thoughts and views on the future work of Port Health Authorities in the United Kingdom. A number of large UK ports are no longer members of APHA. These ports have formed another group which hold regular (quarterly) ‘Major Ports Forum’ meetings. The FSA, The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs and The Animal and Plant Health Agency actively participate in all of these meetings. The Government will continue to collaborate with Port Health Authorities going forward to ensure impacts on Port Health Authorities are fully considered in any policy making decisions.

Port Health Authorities

Baroness Blood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact that the UK withdrawing from the EU will have on Port Health Authorities.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Government is considering the impacts of the decision to leave the European Union, including the impact on Port Health Authorities (PHAs). The Government recognises the significant contribution PHAs make to public and animal health protection and the United Kingdom is committed to ensuring any potential impacts to PHAs are well managed.

Association of Port Health Authorities

Baroness Blood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the current funding arrangements for the Association of Port Health Authorities.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Association of Port Health Authorities is currently self-funded by its Members. It is not anticipated that this will change following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.

Preventive Medicine: Children

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to increase funding for preventative measures to support under 16 year olds to stay healthy and prevent avoidable chronic disease in later life.

Lord Prior of Brampton: Responsibility for commissioning public health services for children from 0-19 now lies with local authorities. This affords the opportunity to commission based on local need and recognises that local government is best placed to identify the needs of their populations and to influence many of the wider factors that affect health and wellbeing.The Department launched Childhood Obesity: A Plan for Action in August this year. The plan focuses on actions that are likely to have the biggest impact on reducing childhood obesity and maintaining a healthy weight. Physical activity is a key strand of the plan and, from September 2017, we will double the Primary Physical Education and Sport Premium funding to £320 million. A copy of the plan is attached.



Childhood Obesity Plan
(PDF Document, 409.15 KB)

Cataracts: Surgery

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the statement by the Secretary of State for Health on 10 August that any patient who needs cataract surgery should get it without delay, what is their assessment of the impact on cataract surgery waiting times and local capacity to deliver cataract treatment of a higher priority being afforded to such treatment.

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, what is their assessment of the impact of innovative technology and improvements in efficiency on outcomes for cataract treatment.

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people have lost their sight or had their vision impaired as a result of delays in the provision of cataract surgery.

Lord Prior of Brampton: Clinical commissioning groups are responsible for commissioning cataract surgery for their local populations. Patients have the right to start consultant-led treatment within 18 weeks of referral for non-urgent conditions, or alternatively have the right to ask for an alternative provider who can see them sooner. All patients should be treated without unnecessary delay and according to their clinical priority.Where National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance does not exist on a particular treatment, it is for local National Health Service commissioners to make funding decisions based on an assessment of the available evidence and on the basis of an individual patient’s clinical circumstances. However, in light of concerns about lengthy waits for treatment and unacceptable variations in care, the Secretary of State has asked NICE to bring forward its guidance on cataracts from 2018 to 2017. This will provide NHS commissioners with evidence based guidance from NICE and ensure patients have access to the most effective treatment as early as possible.The Government has not made an assessment of the effect of hospital-initiated postponement of cataract surgery on patients’ sight or of the impact of innovative technologies; we anticipate that these aspects will be considered by NICE in their assessment.

Eyesight

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support they are providing to implement the UK Vision Strategy.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Government supports the aims of the UK Vision Strategy of improving eye health, preventing avoidable sight loss, improving services for those who do lose sight, and maximising social inclusion and opportunities for blind and partially sighted people. Improving the commissioning of services is a key priority for the National Health Service and social care services, and this is one way that we expect to see improvements for patients. The Public Health Outcomes Framework is an online only data tool which examines indicators that help us to understand trends in public health. It includes an indicator on preventable sight loss which will track three of the most common causes of preventable sight loss: age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. The open availability of data provide a resource for commissioners and local health and wellbeing boards to identify what is needed in their areas and for comparisons to be made with other areas. The online data tool is available on the Public Health England website. Our public health programmes tackling smoking and obesity will also help prevent sight loss by addressing some of the key risk factors in the development of eye disease.

Cataracts: Surgery

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the waiting times for cataract surgery for each of the past 10 years for each clinical commissioning group.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The information is not available in the format requested. Referral to treatment data are collected by 18 treatment functions and are not condition or procedure specific. Cataract surgery is included in the ophthalmology treatment function. The attached table sets out the median waiting time for completed admitted pathways for the ophthalmology treatment function, by primary care trust and clinical commissioning group, for the years that full data is available, 2007-08 to 2015-16.



Ophthalmology Waiting Times
(Excel SpreadSheet, 78 KB)

Tuberculosis

Baroness Suttie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Public Health England's Tuberculosis in England annual report published on 27 September.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Department of Health welcomes Public Health England’s (PHE) Tuberculosis in England: annual report, which evidences the importance of the ongoing implementation of their national strategy Collaborative Tuberculosis Strategy for England 2015 to 2020. A copy of which is attached. The report contributes to the specific commitments made in the national strategy document, to support the eventual elimination of the disease as a public health problem in England. The Department recognises the public health importance of tuberculosis (TB) and continues to support PHE, who have made TB one of its main priorities, in giving national policy leadership, ensuring that there is a coordinated approach to TB across all sectors at all levels.



Collaborative TB Strategy for England 2015-2020
(PDF Document, 1.43 MB)

Influenza: Vaccination

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much is paid to GP practices for (1) advising a person to have a flu jab, and (2) giving a person the flu jab.

Lord Prior of Brampton: Under the General Medical Services contract, general practitioners (GPs) are paid £9.80 for each dose of influenza vaccination that they administer to patients who are eligible for the vaccination. GPs are not paid for advising patients to have the influenza vaccination.

Care Homes

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of continuing care home closures, what plans are in place to meet the care needs of the growing elderly population.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Department has not seen loss of capacity of social care provision. The Government recognises that the care sector is operating in a challenging financial environment and continues to engage with the care sector to understand their concerns about their financial viability and the sustainability of services. The Care Quality Commission monitors the finances of the largest care businesses to identify likely insolvencies that would stop services. The Department continues to monitor the whole of the market of care providers, engage with the sector to better understand the challenges they face and support local authorities who purchase services. The Department is working closely with the Local Government Association to consider targeted action to address the issues.

Social Services

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to respond to the Care Quality Commission's finding that the adult social care sector is "approaching tipping point".

Lord Prior of Brampton: We welcome The state of health and adult social care in England in 2015/16 report from the Care Quality Commission. The independent regulator was set up to give a single authoritative account to the Department on issues such as this. The report shows that 70 per cent of adult social care services are rated good or better and that improvement is taking place all over the country. Social care is critical in enabling older people to retain their independence and dignity. This is why, against the context of tough public sector finances, the Government has taken steps to protect social care services. The Government is giving local authorities access to up to £3.5 billion of new support for social care by 2019/20. This will increase social care spending in real terms by the end of the Parliament. Through the Care Act, we have a reformed care system that means local authorities are in a better position to meet the care needs of people who need them most. Councils now have greater flexibility to arrange care, as well as give greater choice and control to individuals. The Department will continue to work with providers and their trade bodies, who have come together as a taskforce to understand financial challenges in the sector. The Department is also working to support local authorities meet their Care Act duties to improve commissioning and encourage an effective care market.



CQC State of Care Report
(PDF Document, 3.07 MB)

Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements

Lord Bowness: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will seek to preserve the mutual recognition of the European Health Insurance Card throughout the UK and EU in their negotiations to leave the EU.

Lord Prior of Brampton: Nothing has yet been decided on whether the United Kingdom will seek to preserve the mutual recognition of the European Health Insurance Card after leaving the European Union. Officials in both the Department of Health and the Department for Exiting the European Union are considering the position and options available to us with the aim of achieving the best outcome for the UK health system and for the UK as a whole.

NHS: Sustainable Development

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much money has been (1) spent, and (2) committed to be spent, on consultancies in the preparation of NHS sustainability and transformation plans.

Lord Prior of Brampton: Sustainability and Transformation Plans are local plans and have been developed locally. Neither the Department nor NHS England collects data on whether these plans have been developed with outside advice.

NHS: Sustainable Development

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what governance arrangements are in place to ensure that expenditure committed in the preparation of NHS sustainability and transformation plans provides value for money.

Lord Prior of Brampton: Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) themselves are drawn up collaboratively by existing organisations in the local areas, utilising existing resources. In addition, national bodies are working directly with STP teams to ensure local plans are as strong and deliverable as possible, and that financial plans achieve the best results for patients and communities within the resources available.